Of Maps and Candlelight
by Virago
Summary: One stressful night leads to a friendship that Lu Xun never thought that he could never have which leads to more than he ever dreamed. Yaoi. GNLX.


**Of Maps and Candlelight**

_A/N: Well this one is for Paula – if you're still out there and reading this. Since you had said there wasn't nearly enough Gan Ning/Lu Xun stories out there here is one just for you! I hope that you like it!_

_PS: Watching Zhao Yun Musou while listening to Mindless Self Indulgence's Jimmy Page is the COOLEST! It looks like he's dancing! XD_

_PPS: Don't worry, there's going to be another one of these as soon as I get the time to write it! Yay! _

He sighed and ran his hands through his shortened hair, trying his best not to tear the light brown locks from their roots. After all what did they ever do to him? He stood from his chair and leaned over the large map board that covered the entire red oak table. He ran over defense plans, plotting out in his mind's eye various ways to form a perimeter around the large area and crush the unsuspecting victims inside. His answer, as with everything else, had been to burn the bastards out and he saw no better way than to do just that in this case. Yet General Zhou Yu had specifically told him that he wanted the land in as much as a natural state as it now stood. The fire would destroy everything that they hope to gain from the earth.

Lu Xun huffed and knocked his hat off of the table, "Suzaku's Piss!" he cussed, "Fire is a natural thing!" He sighed and blew bangs from his forehead, trying to look up at them when they once again settled disobediently in his eyes.

A chuckle from the doorway was his only warning that he wasn't as alone in the briefing room as he thought he was. He frowned and glanced at the candles. From the way they were burning low he could tell it was only a few more hours until dawn. Didn't anybody in the castle sleep anymore?

"If you're looking for Lord Zhou Yu, Sun Ce pulled him into bed hours ago," he said with a wave of his hand before pausing and rethinking his words. Gods! He sounded like an old pervert!

His intruder whistled, "I always knew there was something going on between those two," came the gruff reply and the young strategist had no problem recognizing the voice.

"General Gan Ning?" his golden eyes raised to watch the shadowy figure enter the room, "What are you do up at this hour?"

The pirate huffed and plopped down into Lu Xun's discarded chair, putting his feet up on the map board, muddy boots making a mess of the work that the young boy barely started on. "I should be asking you that, kid. Or is it because you haven't even seen your bed yet?" he arch a dark eyebrow at him as if daring him to argue.

He frowned at the man, "I have to finish this, or at least have something to brief Lord Sun Jian in the morning," he peered down at the maps and then shot a glare at the pirate, "And don't call me kid."

Gan Ning shrugged, "You are," he stated, looking at his nails and started to pick the dirt out from underneath them. "So, Sir Pyro, what has you so upset that you oh so lovinly tossed your precious hat on the floor like last weeks lay?"

"Do you have to be so crude!" he hissed and knocked the man's filthy boots off his battle plans.

He laughed, his gruff voice filling the void like silence of the room, "Of course, bishounen. I am a pirate. I have no manners, it's a proven fact."

The boy groaned and rubbed the back of his neck, willing the muscles to relax but with everything else this night, those too seemed to not want to comply with his demands, "Is there some reason you are here, or is it just to bug the living horse shit out of me?"

Ning's eyebrows rose in surprise, "My, my, such langue from such a young and innocent child."

Lu Xun tired his best to clam his rapidly raising temper, "Piss off, river rat, I'm busy."

He sat straighter in his chair and reached up grabbing a lock of the boy's hair and twirling it between his fingers, "Damn you're a feisty one. I like that in my men," he added with a wink.

The strategist felt his face flush with embarrassment. Gan Ning had barely said two words to him since he arrived to join the ranks of Wu, so why now the sudden attention? He growled and slapped his hand away, "Go harass someone else."

The pirate settled once more in Xun's chair, "Not until you answer my question."

The boy just blinked at him, as if trying to remember what was asked.

"Why are you so pissed off," he added helpfully with a wave of his hand.

"Oh," he looked away from the other man and focused his gaze once more on the demon maps, "This. Lord Sun Jian and Lord Zhou Yu want us to attack this region soon." He paused to point out the area on the map so the pirate could have a good look. Much to his surprise the other stood beside him and looked down on the board his eyebrows drew in a line of concentration. He huffed and took that as a sign to continue. "Lord Zhou Yu wants our army to surround the villages and drive them out with as little damage as possible. I had suggested we just burn the Wei bastards out, but Lord Sun Jian requests the land stays in it's most natural state with the damage as minimum as can be helped," he finished with another huff of breath.

The pirate shrugged, "I think you looking at this from the wrong angle. The village is just right on the Wei and Wu border. But closer to the Wei, winning this village will expand Wu's territory. Why not surround the area, as pretty boy said, and then let the village council know that we have them at our mercy."

Lu Xun eyed the pirate suspiciously, "What will that do?"

Gan Ning smiled at the boy, "It'll give them a chance to surrender and keep their lives."

The boy blinked and then grinned, practically hopping on his feet completely forgetting about his earlier annoyance of the other man's presence. "That's perfect!" he squealed in delight and gave the other man a hug, his arms wrapping tightly around his neck.

Ning took a step back at the sudden assault before smiling and putting his own arms around the boy. He closed his eyes and took in the sent of him, letting it play along his nose and face until the other slowly pulled away.

"S-sorry," he stammered, his cheeks tinted a light pink.

That made him grin even wider, "Do worry, it was my pleasure."

That only seemed to make the boy blush harder.

"So now that we are in good graces," he said before the boy turned into the Snow Queen again, "How about I show you to your room so you can get some sleep?"

Xun raised one thin dark golden eyebrow at him, "I sense an ulterior motive."

The pirate laughed, a light chuckle, "You look like your body is strung tighter than a bow string, I can rub your shoulders if you'd like. Been told I'm the best around."

He blinked, "Is that so?"

The older man nodded, "Sure as the sun will rise."

Lu Xun shrugged, "Why not," he was too tired to argue anyway.

_**SS**_

Xun groaned as the most talented rough hands worked the kinks from his neck, the oil that he used smelled faintly of jasmine and opium. All in all the sent from the pirate's fingers and the burning of the few candles that litter the room gave off the most pleasant aroma that he had ever had the pleasure to taste.

He heard the older man chuckle and his weight shifted on the bed as he leaned down to whisper in the boy's ear, "That good, huh?"

He dared to offer him a small smile, "Does your ego need stroking that much?"

"No," came the reply, the words low and husky, "Not my ego."

His face grew hot at the innuendo, "Must you always tease me?"

That earned him a chuckle, "Of course, you blush so easily."

The boy huffed and turned his head to the side, trying not to shudder as the movement caused the other's lips to brush across the outer shell of his ear. "Whatever, river rat," he muttered.

It had been months since the first time that Gan Ning had come into the briefing room and helped him on his issues and since that night the pirate seemed to always know exactly where he was and how hard he had been working.

Their friendship was rough at first but the young man slowing began to open up to the other more than he had with anybody else. He greatly enjoyed the older man's company and found himself lacking when he wasn't around to tease him.

"Let me stay the night," Gan Ning whispered, his breath dancing upon the boy's neck.

Lu Xun blinked, "What? You're teasing me again."

He shoulders were grabbed and before he could comprehend what was happening he was flipped over onto his back, the pirate still straddling him across his hips. "Do you ever notice why I tease you all the time, little one?" he asked, his eyes growing so dark that they seemed to melt into voids of the blackest shadows.

He swallowed thickly somehow finding his voice, "Because you tease everyone?"

Ning shook his head and bent his head until his lips were just breaths away from the boy's, "Not like I tease you."

There was a pause of silence and he waited for the boy to answer him, not breaking the eye contact that he had with those wonderfully pools of gold. He sighed and slowly, ever so slightly, brushed his lips against the other's.

He heard the boy gasp beneath him yet he got no other reaction from him. He couldn't tell if this was a good sign or not. "Let me kiss you," he whispered hoarsely not knowing what he would do if the strategist refused him.

The boy nodded so lightly that Ning thought that he missed the movement before placing his lips fully upon the other. Lu Xun responded immediately, opening his mouth to welcome the pirate's tongue in before clumsily returning the kiss. He groaned as his mouth was flooded with the sweet taste of the boy's lips and tongue. He savored every sweet lick and flick, trying his best to devour all that he could.

His hands ran up and down his sides, feeling the muscles bunch and flex with shudders and goose pimples before shifting his weight and lying almost completely on top of him. Red silk clad legs came open and wrapped around his waist, hips pushing up to grind into his own, the hardness of him clearly felt through the thin layers of cloth that separated them.

Gan Ning broke the kiss with a gasp and trailed kisses down the boy's tender neck, using teeth and tongue to taste his skin as the body withered underneath him. The movements of the boy was purely animalistic and driving him so completely out of his mind he realized that if they didn't slow down he'd probably cream his pants.

"Gan... Ning," the boy moaned his name and arched his hips once more, brushing the pirate's rock hardness. He suddenly stilled, his eyes snapping open, "S-s-sorry!" he stuttered out, his embarrassment shown like the sun on his gold tinted skin.

Ning pushed himself up on his elbows trying not to let the movement of the act affect him so much as it brought their lower bodies closer to each other. "What for, baby?" he asked, now more than a little confused.

If anything the boy's blushed brighter, "For..." he trailed off and looked down the line of their bodies, his eyes widened in disbelief when he saw his own legs wrapped around the pirates waist. "S-s-s-sorry!" he practically cried.

He reached up and slid a hand under the boy's tight, telling him without words that his legs were just fine right where they were. "Lu Xun?" he asked, eyebrows draw in a thin line across his brow, "Why are you acting like a shy virgin?"

Xun quickly looked away, not answering but his actions were enough for the older man to get his meaning.

"Hey," he whispered with all the tenderness in the world and ran his fingers down the other's cheek, "its ok. I was one once, too."

The strategist gave him a disbelieving glare, "Yeah, right. You probably came out fucking."

Ning laughed and kissed the boy, his lips soft and gently, coaxing the boy to relax. "We'll start with something simple," he murmured against the other's mouth.

"Will it hurt?" came the uncertain question.

Gan Ning shook his head and trailed once more to taste his neck, "We don't have to do that. They're lots of other ways that I can please you."

Xun let out a breathless moan as lips and teeth found his pulse point, "You don't mind?"

Another chuckled, "Now that I have you where I've alwaysed dream of having you? No. I don't want to mess this up." Sword callused fingers ran across his chest, roving the landscape of the boys body only pausing to tease and pinch nipples into hardened buds.

The boy let out a soft cry and arched into the caress, his hips once more starting to move against the older man's. "By Suzaku," he groaned and held Gan Ning closer to him, trailing nails up and down the pirates back.

It was Ning's turned to moan and he felt his eyes roll as the so called "innocent virgin" found one of his weaknesses. He quickly replaced his fingers with his lips and moved down the younger man's body, trying his best to lick, suck, and nip every inch of skin on his way to ultimate goal.

He let out a sigh of regret as he pulled away and forced back a chuckle when Xun let out a frustrated hiss. Not wanting to waste another moment, he unhooked the boy's legs from around him and laced his fingers in the waist band of the red silk.

The boy looked to him with half open eyes and tried not to blush as he took in the predatory gleam in the pirate's eyes. Instead he lifted his hips and helped the older man skim out of his sleep wear. His heart raced with fear of what was going on in his head. Was he big enough for him? Wonder if Gan Ning suddenly lost interest of him when he saw the rest of him? Wonder if he saw a scar that he didn't like and just got up to leave?

All qualms and misgivings were banished from the room when he heard the pirate cuss, "Fuck, you're prefect."

Before the boy had a chance to reply Ning swallowed him completely whole. He let out at strangled cry halfway sitting up and tangling fingers in dark thick locks of spiky hair. The feel of his lips sealed around him was unlike anything else that he had ever experience in his entire young life. Not even touching himself was this amazing wonderful.

Xun hooked on of his legs across the bigger man's shoulder's, his knee bending out to give him more access as he tilted his head back and let out another breathily moan.

Gan Ning tried not to smile at the boy's reaction as he took him completely in his mouth, lips sucking around the base of his hardness before moving up and flicking his tongue at the slit. He groaned as he tasted his pre-cum, the flavor of him completely filling his mouth as the boy moaned again. He sped up his pace, not wanting it to end so quickly but wanting to taste Lu Xun's seed as it filled his mouth and flowed down his throat. Surely wanting someone this bad should be a sin to any and all Gods.

The thick shaft hardened in his mouth, the only warning that the end was near before the young man screamed his name and came. The pirate was all too eager to suck him dry until the last drop was gone.

Xun's arms trembled with the effort of holding himself up and all too happily dropped back to the soft mattress, his chest heaving and his body shaking from the aftershocks. He smiled as stars still danced from underneath his closed eyelids. He groaned and forced himself to turn to his new found lover as he climbed up next to him, pulling him into his embrace. "What about you?" he mumbled sleepily, his body still riding the high of his orgasm.

Ning let out an embarrassed chuckle, "You were so hot I could hold myself back," he confessed, "not to worry though, baby. There'll be plenty of time to show your apologies."

Lu Xun's only answer was to reach over and throw a pillow at the unruly pirates head. "There damn well better be," he grumbled before once more settling down on his nice life size human pillow.

_**owari**_


End file.
